Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Dog Psychology Center.

Sometimes, the key to rehabilitation can be as simple as having an encouraging role model.

At a youthfully exuberant four years old, Curly the mixed Greyhound Labrador gave Dog Psychology Center employees and volunteers a literal run for their money when he arrived at the end of December, 2006.

These days he can be found putting himself to work as a deputy counselor and setting a positive example for troubled pups.

Curly first came to the Center as a kind of exchange student. A headstrong, active-submissive type incorrectly labeled red-zone aggressive, Curly was too much for his laidback New York family to handle, asserting his own dominance to fill the pack leader position that they had mistakenly left vacant. Once settled in the presence of more calm-submissive dogs, however, Curly immediately relinquished his attempts to exert dominance. Still, he required running exercise with the bike to release the energy explosion so common amongst Greyhounds.

For a mixed breed dog, the pull from one side of his nature to the other is often very strong. The presence of dogs with multiple breeds and bloodlines can be a positive boon in such a situation. In short, for the times when the dog’s Greyhound side calls, other Greyhounds are available. For Labrador needs or Pit Bull needs, there are Labradors and Pit Bulls close by. It’s here that Curly’s contribution has been most significant.

When Luna the year and a half old Pit Bull/Labrador/Sharpei mix came to the Center – a show dog exhibiting signs of severe anxiety – it was Curly who helped her to overcome her fear of the pack and develop the self-esteem she was lacking. Their common ground: the run. Curly’s Greyhound sensibilities were more than a match for Luna’s Labrador energy, and that unspoken understanding paved the way for Luna’s recovery.

A teenager in his prime, Curly gets along especially well with younger males, and he loves wrestling with Cesar’s son Andre. It takes stamina and endurance to help a pup with Greyhound in its blood work off that extra energy, and the variety of breeds at the Center means someone there is always up to the task. He runs, he swims, he plays ball, and, when all is said and done, he continues to enjoy long rollerblading trips with Cesar, who, winded at the end of a ride, describes the experience as something “like being a NASCAR driver.”

Curly’s friend Luna will be featured in an episode of Dog Whisperer, Season 4. Watch for her beginning this fall!